John l



(No Model.)

J. L. HIGGENS.

GATE.

No. 474,250. Patntga y 3, 1892.

InuEn fUr (70% ZEfyaws. 15y 6 7%% UUETHE S E E UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. HIGGENS, OF DIONA, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,250, dated May 3, 1892. Application filed October 26, 1891- $erial No. 409,926. (No model.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN L. HIGGENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Diona, in the county of Cumberland and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in swinging gates of that class adapted to be opened and closed while the operator is mounted on horseback or riding in a vehicle, thereby obviating the necessity of dismounting or getting out of his vehicle, thus saving time.

The objects and advantages of my invention, together with the novel features thereof, will hereinafter appear, and be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawing represents a perspective View of my improved gate and its operating devices.

A and A indicate two gate-posts, to one of which A the gate B is hinged in the ordinary manner, the other post A being provided with a suitable latch-hook or finger 1), adapted to receive the end of a latch-lever carried by the gate.

B indicates the gate, and O a latch-lever pivoted thereto at a point intermediate the ends of said lever. Said lever 0 projects at its outer end beyond the swinging end of the gate, where it is engaged by the latch-hook or finger on the post A, and it is also provided at or near this end with a weight 0 for insuring such engagement. At its other or inner end the latch-lever C is connected by means of a rope or wire 0', passing through or under one of the horizontal bars of the gate, with the inner or lower end of a long gate-operating lever D, which is pivoted at d to an arm or bracket d, attached to the inner upright of the gate or to other convenient point. The lower inner end of this lever referred to is guided by and moves within a metal loop or staple 0 attached to the gate, whereby this end of the lever is permitted to move sufficiently to draw upon the cord 0 and rock the latch-lever C out of engagement with its latch hook or finger, while at the same time such movement of the lower end of the lever D is limited.

E and E represent two posts located at a suitable distance from the gate-post A and approximately in line therewith. Upon these posts are mounted and pivoted horizontal levers F and G, and these levers are connected at their ends by wires or cords f and g, one of said wiresfbeing rigidly connected with the upper outer end of the gate'operating lever D and the other wire g passing through a guiding-eye a in an arm or bracket a, attached to the gate-post A.

H II represent braoe'rods, which are made of round iron bent at a right angle, the vertical portions of these brace-rods pass through and turn in staples 7L h in the posts E and E, and the horizontal portions underlie the levers F and G and are held in place by other staples 7L2 in said levers. By this construction it will be seen the levers F and G are steadied and prevented from wabbling and wearing loose on their pivots.

I I indicate pull-ropes attached, respectively, to the inner ends of the levers F and G. When the pull-rope I is drawn toward the gate and the lever G rocked, the wiresfand A 9 will actuate the gate-operating leverD. The latter will, by means of the cord 0', lift the latch of the gate and then swing said gate open, and in the same manner the gate will be closed when the rope I is drawn in the dircction of the gate. Thus it will be seen that the gate may be opened and closed from either side by the means above described, while the operator is mounted on horseback or riding in a vehicle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with the swinging gate, the hinge and latch posts, the catch extending from the latter, and the latch pivoted in the gate and adapted for vertical vibration and normally engaging the catch, of the arm extending laterally from the hinge end of the gate, the lever f ulcru med thereon and extending beyond the same, a loose connection. between the lower end of the lever and the inner end of the latch, the posts arranged at opposite sides of the hinged post, the levers pivoted on the upper ends of the posts, and connected with the end of the lever I), the L the pair of Wires connecting the ends of the shaped brace-rods pivotally supported 011 the levers, one of said Wires being directly conposts and secured to the under sides of the nected to the end of thelatch-operating lever, levers F and G, and the guide-arm a on the 5 substantially as specified. I hinge-post for guiding one of said cords, sub- 2. The combination, with the swinging gate stantially as shown and described.

having lateral arm d projecting therefrom In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein at the top at its hinge end and the latch and presence of two witnesses.

latch-lever, of the lever D, pivoted on the lat- JOHN L. l-IIGGENS. IO eral arm and pivotally connected wit-hthe latch-lever, the pivoted levers F and G, the

cords connecting the same, one of which is WVitnesses:

HIRAM DAVEE, C. O. SOOFIELD. 

